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@eine lteres strltt @ffice Leners Patent No. 80,079, @zaad My-f5.1, ieee.

` i IMPROVEMENT lIn encon-omnes.

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'l'O ALL WHOM IT MA'YJCONCERN:

Beit known that I, FREDERICK S. Meer, of the city of Galesburg, in the county of4 Knox, and State of Illinois, have invented a new Iand useful Improvement in Floor-Clamps; and I do hereby declare that theV following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figurel is. a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan or top view.

Figure 3 is afront end view.

Like letters in the figures of the drawings indicate like parts.

The nature of my invention consists- First, in the -construction ofva floor-clamp, with a plate, having at either end thereof transverse angular knives, the saidrplate having also a fulcrum and lever, properly arranged and attached to the plate, whereby the clamp may be applied and adjusted to any thickness of joist, and held fast-at any point thereon, while clamping the flooring, by the lever being pressed against the joist. The lever, having a suitably-curved serrated surface on the end thereof, 'will be caused 'to bite thejoist, as will the knives in like manner on the opposite side, and thus hold the clamp, for the purpose as aforesaid. p j

Second, in the arrangement of a ratchet-bar and short plate with the plate as above described, forming a receptacle for the fulcrum of floor-clamp lever, coiled spring, and slide, having a friction-roller, the said spring and slide being so arranged, whereby the flooring may be clamped by the slide being forced against'the flooring, by the pressure'of the lever on the roller of the slide, and the lever, thus held by a clutchpivoted thereto, catching into one of the teeth of the ratchet-bnr, the springV forcing the slide back, when vclutch is released from the ratchet-bar 'after flooring has been clamped. Y

To enable anyone skilled in the nrt to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its con-v struction andoperation. y

' represents the plate, Withfthe angular knivesga across at either end thereof.

B is a piece attached to about the centre of the plate, on the top edge thereof, and projecting suiiiciently out therefrom to give room for a proper operation of the lever C, which is suitably attached to the pivot of a piece, l, projecting downwards from the piece B. i

Drepresents the ratehctbnr, which is attached to, the side of the plate A, tlush with the bottom edge thereof.

E is the short plate, which is nttnchsd to the end of the ratchet-bnr onthc side thereof, and to a piece, c, I'at the front end of the clump, of the same thickness as the bmg'so as to form a place for the operation of the lever-slide and spring. Y

F is the floor-clamp lever, which is attached to a pivot passed through the plates.V 'd is the clutch pivoted to the lever. v

G is the slide, which -is attached to a bar, e, on the under side thereof, which bar has a tongue on either side of'it, {it-ting in grooves in the sides of the two plates, and .suiiciently loose therein to allow the slide to voperate freely onlthe top edges of the plates. y is the friction-roller, which is suitably pivoted to the slide.

-II is the coiled spring, which is attached to a rod passed through the plates, one end of which is fastened to the front piece c and the other to the slide. i f

Operation: The clamp is applied in the manner seen in iig.2, (in which figure are represented ilooring and josts,) by the plate A being placed on the side 'of the joist at the point desired, and the lever C, which is on' the other side, is then pressed outwardly until the plate is tightly clamped to the `)'oist, when the lever'Fis then taken hold of and presscd'against thefslide, which, having a groove therein fitting over the tongue of the dooring, forces the flooring up untilla tightiitting joint-is secured, the clutch holding Vthe lever While the operator is attending to the nailing of it.

When the clutch is disengaged from the' ratchet, the spring forces the slide beek to its proper position, ready for another operation.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y l ,.The arrangement of the coiled spring H, for forcing the slide or driver Gback, and the roller g, for relieving the driver of friction when operated upon by the lever F in clamping theooring, inl thevmanner as herein shown andset forth. I l' i As evidence that I claim the foregoing; I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses;

FREDERICK S.' MACK.

Witnesses:

J. J. TUNNICLIFF, T. G. FROST. 

